Korean Film Directors Lee Joon-ik, Lee Byung-hun Move Into Short-Form Dramas

Korean film directors are increasingly turning to short-form dramas, a format once seen largely as a proving ground for newcomers. After director Lee Byung-hun joined Lezhin Snack’s original series “The Baby’s Dad Is My Guy Friend” as planner and director, director Lee Joon-ik has also stepped into the space with “A Father’s Home-Cooked Meal.”

Lezhin Snack said “A Father’s Home-Cooked Meal” wrapped filming March 24 and has moved into postproduction. Based on a webtoon of the same name by writer Gorita, the story follows a family after the wife, Soon-ae, can no longer cook following an accident. Her husband, Ha-eung, who has kept his distance from the kitchen his whole life, begins making home-cooked meals for the first time, and family relationships shift along the way. The company said the adaptation builds on the original’s emotional tone — using food to explore intergenerational ties — while deepening the narrative and character interpretations for the screen.

Lee Joon-ik, known for films including “The King and the Clown,” “Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet” and “The Book of Fish,” is directing a short-form drama for the first time. His move from feature-length theatrical storytelling to a vertical frame and faster pacing has drawn industry attention.
 
Lee said, “This is my first time trying a short-form drama. Within a vertical frame, you can clearly observe even the deepest corners of a character. I set it up so we don’t miss the good parts of the original, while allowing the story to gain depth.”

The cast includes Jung Jin-young, Lee Jung-eun and Byun Yo-han. Jung plays Ha-eung, who takes responsibility for home cooking after his wife can no longer do it. Lee plays Soon-ae, who has long anchored the family table but suddenly forgets how to cook, disrupting everyday life. Byun plays their son, Myung-bok, who watches the changes up close. Their participation reflects a broader trend of lead-level actors joining short-form projects.

The shift is not limited to Lee Joon-ik. Lee Byung-hun’s “The Baby’s Dad Is My Guy Friend” has continued to draw viewers since its release and has emerged as one of the platform’s notable hits, according to the report. The involvement of directors already recognized for commercial appeal and directing skill in film and television suggests the market mood around short formats is changing.
 
Lezhin Snack said it is expanding production of “premium content” that delivers polished storytelling within the short-form format. The company described “A Father’s Home-Cooked Meal” as a project drawing expectations through its combination of source material, creators and cast — and as an example of its strategy to pursue both quality and broad appeal within a short runtime.

The company’s upcoming slate also points to a widening range for short-form dramas. Beyond “A Father’s Home-Cooked Meal,” Lezhin Snack plans to roll out “Special Conditions of My Live-in Boyfriend,” “A Naughty Blind Date,” “Bad Kid Good Partner” and “Mujin: A Female Professor Seduces Her Student,” spanning family drama, romance, BL and revenge stories. “Mujin: A Female Professor Seduces Her Student” is directed by Kim Hwi, who made the films “The Neighbors” and “The Murder Case at Itaewon,” while “Bad Kid Good Partner” is directed by Kim Sun-bin, who has drawn attention in the independent film scene.

With Lee Byung-hun followed by Lee Joon-ik moving into short-form drama directing, industry watchers are paying closer attention to how the format could reshape content strategies going forward.